ICERAS

GENEVA (6 August 2021) – Eritrean refugees trapped in the midst of the armed conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region are being targeted by both sides to the conflict, a UN expert warned today, calling on all parties to take measures to protect refugees in accordance with international human rights and humanitarian law.

Ethiopia was home to nearly 100,000 refugees from neighbouring Eritrea before fighting broke out in Tigray in November 2020. Since the onset of the conflict, Dr. Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, has continued to highlight the plight of Eritrean refugees and call for their protection through communications to the Ethiopian and Eritrean authorities, and during his interventions at the Human Rights Council in February and June.

“Since the conflict began, I have received many credible allegations of grave human rights and humanitarian law violations committed against Eritrean refugees, both by the Federal Government of Ethiopia and government-allied Eritrean troops, and by forces affiliated with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front,” the expert said. “Eritrean refugees have been singled out, targeted and victimised by both sides for their perceived collaboration with the other side in the conflict.” readmore